Getting started in holiday light installation
Steps to go from zero to your first paying holiday-lighting client, timed against a short seasonal window.
- 1
Get general liability and commercial auto insurance
Budget roughly $2,500-5,500/yr for a basic package — personal auto and homeowner's policies don't cover paid ladder work on someone else's roof, and a homeowner will reasonably ask if you're insured before letting you climb up there.
- 2
Buy ladder and fall-safety equipment
A stable extension ladder, ladder stabilizer, and basic fall-safety gear run roughly $300-700 to start — non-negotiable for working at height on unfamiliar rooflines.
- 3
Decide your light-supply model
Choose between labor-only (install the customer's own lights, priced $2-5/linear foot) and full-service (you supply commercial-grade lights, priced $5-10/linear foot) — full-service earns more per job but requires upfront inventory spend and off-season storage.
- 4
Set your per-foot or per-job pricing and minimum charge
Price by linear footage or as a flat per-job quote, with a stated minimum (commonly $150-300) so a small job still covers drive time and insurance overhead.
- 5
Create a simple seasonal job agreement
Cover installation scope, light ownership, takedown date, weather-delay policy, and property-damage liability before your first job.
- 6
Line up pre-season marketing before your competitors do
Because the entire booking window is roughly six to eight weeks, most successful installers start marketing (Google Business Profile, local Facebook groups, yard signs, referrals) in September or early October, well before the first install request comes in.
- 7
Check local licensing, permit, and HOA/ordinance rules
Some municipalities and HOAs regulate how long holiday displays can stay up — know the local rules so you can schedule takedown dates that keep clients compliant.
- 8
Schedule takedown dates before the season even starts
Book each client's January removal date at the same time as the install so your compressed season doesn't turn into an even more compressed takedown scramble.